| Knight Errant | 27 Oct 2010 6:19 p.m. PST |
Greetings! I have been having loads of trouble straightening out the rifles and bayonets on a batch of plastic Conte Alamo Mexicans. After countless trips in and out of the hot water and cold water bowls, the rifles immediately bend right back to their ridiculous corkscrew positions. Does anyone have any advice as to a better way to do this? Has anyone else had a similar problem with Conte's plastic? Thank you,
Nate |
 Wolfshanza  | 27 Oct 2010 6:46 p.m. PST |
I haven't had that much trouble with the conte mexicans ? When I "straighten" it's usually with boiling water and clamping or bracing when they come out of the ice water ? Been thinkin' about using a hair dryer/shrink fit blower and then going to the ice water ? |
| Duck Crusader | 27 Oct 2010 8:21 p.m. PST |
Gave up on it, straightening is a short term cure. Now it gets a very fine pin carefully inserted right along the blade. Only works when it's a good stout one tho. |
John Leahy  | 27 Oct 2010 9:08 p.m. PST |
I had the same problem with some Conte WWII Germans. Never really solved to my satisfaction. |
| Knight Errant | 28 Oct 2010 2:40 p.m. PST |
Boiling water instead of extremely hot? No damage to the figure? Duck, what sort of pins to you recommend for this, and where can I get them? |
| thehawk | 28 Oct 2010 2:43 p.m. PST |
My WW2 plastic figures went brittle after about 12 months – they would break in two if dropped. Anyone else have this problem? |
| Duck Crusader | 28 Oct 2010 2:46 p.m. PST |
Extremely fine gauge sewing needles, ironically considered 'the cheap ones' by those who sew. Joannes or other fabric stores, or Hobby Lobby's sewing section. Wally World would probably work as well. Heat them a little before you insert them, they'll melt the plastic a bit and secure themselves, makes it easier to get them in as well. Then clip off the protrusion if any and cover with green stuff as necessary. Gotta be the really small ones tho, you'll know 'em when you see 'em. |
| Wolfshanza | 28 Oct 2010 6:22 p.m. PST |
I don't leave it in the water more than a few seconds. |
| DanLewisTN | 29 Oct 2010 3:34 p.m. PST |
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| Knight Errant | 30 Oct 2010 12:46 p.m. PST |
I'll keep this in mind as I proceed. Conte seems, from my limited experience with them, to be rather hit and miss as far as the bent barrels go. I have two batches of the Mexicans, and one is bent all to hell, whereas the other only has a few minor deviations. |
| Smokey Roan | 31 Oct 2010 7:47 a.m. PST |
Yep. Conte Zulu Wat brits, I was blessed, NO bent barrels:O That rubber they use does SUCK, though! Use plastic, please! |
| Muah ha ha | 31 Oct 2010 8:04 a.m. PST |
Use BOILING water. Don't be a wimp.  |
| 0311b3 | 21 Jun 2011 12:32 p.m. PST |
Could use Conte Alamo Mexican sets-2,4,6 and 8 or loose standing firing and kneeling firing figures. call (716)743-7903 anytime |
| DS6151 | 21 Jun 2011 2:56 p.m. PST |
Some work with hot water, some require boiling water.
Neither will hurt the figure. |
finds bases at the dollar store!